The story told fitted my necessities exactly.

Had I planned the circumstances myself, nothing could have been better prearranged.

No one on board had seen the missing man by daylight; if an impression of his features remained in any individual mind, it must be extremely vague, and valueless.

Bill's conviction that the man was English, and probably a sailor, was the most definite, and he had had greater opportunity closely to observe the stranger than anyone else.

LeVere had obtained no more than a glimpse of his opponent, during their struggle in the dark, and while fighting for his life.